About Human Resources
The City of Austin’s Human Resources (HR) Department positions the City of Austin as an employer of choice through balanced, efficient, and collaborative strategic partnerships. HRD oversees executive recruitment, compensation, employee benefits, workers compensation, employee relations, and employee safety for the City of Austin. HRD also ensures compliance with state and federal mandates such as Chapter 143 Civil Service and the Americans with Disability Act. HRD supports and develops a high-performing and diverse workforce and fosters a healthy, safe, respectful, and productive work environment for employees and their families, City departments, and the community.
Resources, Divisions/Offices:
Ensures that all City services and programs are accessible to all people, including those with disabilities. This office assists with requests for reasonable accommodation, delivers compliance training for employees, and consults on disability-related issues citywide.
Can assist you with questions about medical, dental, vision, life, disability insurance, and Flexible Spending Accounts, and other benefits such as wellness, childcare, and commuter programs. Staff can also assist with benefits changes due to a qualifying life event, filing disability claims, and life insurance claims.
The Civil Service Office serves the Austin Police Department, Austin Fire Department, and the Emergency Medical Services Department. This Office also administers processes regarding the initial selection, advancement, and conditions of employment in accordance with Chapter 143 of the Texas Local Government Code, Civil Service Commission Rules, and agreements with employee (labor) associations.
Provides tools, resources, and information to departments and employees in order to enhance their knowledge and understanding of policies, procedures and trends related to classification and the City’s base pay plan.
The Diversity and Veteran Initiatives Division develops and implements a comprehensive, integrated, and strategic focus on diversity and inclusion as a key component of all human resources recruitment, Diversity, Disability, and Veteran programs and other community engagement activities.
LEAD champions organizational learning and employee engagement through the delivery of diverse programs and services to City leaders and employees. LEAD provides ongoing skills development through Leadership Academies and other Citywide learning opportunities, as well as coaching, consulting and facilitation services to City and department executives and managers.
The Municipal Civil Service Office administers the Municipal Civil Service (MCS) rules and serves as the liaison between the MCS Commission and the City. The MCS Commission hears appeals and makes final, binding decisions in the case of City employees who are denied a promotion, discharged, demoted, suspended, or on disciplinary probation.
Updates and maintains City-wide personnel files and provides employment verifications, personnel file review, and employee information updates. All subpoenas and public information requests requiring employee record documents are processed in this division. The division also assists departments in completing personnel actions.
Assists applicants, employees, managers, and executives in gaining access to and filling vacant positions with top talent by assessing workforce needs, engaging the community, managing programs, and creating and maintaining City-wide procedures, tools and resources.